Testing YouTube's Hiding of Dislike Counts On Videos

YouTube Tests Hiding Dislike Counts On Videos

YouTube is testing a new feature that would hide the dislike count on videos from public view. The company says it is doing this to protect creators from harassment and "dislike attacks," which are coordinated campaigns of dislikes that can be used to bully and silence creators.

In a blog post, YouTube explained that it has heard from creators that the public dislike count can have a negative impact on their well-being and can discourage them from creating new content. The company also noted that dislike attacks are often targeted at smaller creators and those who create content on controversial topics.

How the Test Will Work

The test will be conducted with a small group of users, who will see a few different designs where the dislike count is no longer shown. The dislike button will still be available, and creators will still be able to see the dislike count in their analytics dashboard.

YouTube says that it will be closely monitoring feedback from users during the test to determine whether or not to roll out the feature more widely.

Pros and Cons of Hiding Dislike Counts

There are both pros and cons to hiding dislike counts on videos.

On the one hand, it could help to protect creators from harassment and dislike attacks. It could also make creators more likely to experiment with new content and take risks, knowing that they will not be immediately punished by viewers.

On the other hand, hiding dislike counts could make it more difficult for viewers to identify low-quality or misleading videos. It could also make it more difficult for viewers to hold creators accountable for their content.

Conclusion

It will be interesting to see how the YouTube test goes and whether or not the company decides to roll out the feature more widely. It is a complex issue with no easy answers.